Anna Marie McHugh has expressed her delight at the high turnout at this year’s National Ploughing Championship, after extreme weather events forced the closure of the event last year.
Asked if she had been concerned for visitor numbers she said: “You have to ask how much can people take?
Listen to "No permanent site planned for Ploughing" on Spreaker.
"For an exhibitor to commit six or eight months ago to come again and it wasn’t just a bad year last year, it was a very bad year the year before. Some exhibitions had to close because of the flooding that year.”
President Michael D Higgins with Anna Marie McHugh visiting the Irish Farmers Journal stand at the National Ploughing Championships 2019. \ Philip Doyle.
AttendanceSome 102,000 people attended the Ploughing on Tuesday and McHugh said she hoped they could repeat the success of the first day.
“It would be lovely if we had the same again,” she said.
“But it’s not about figures for the Ploughing, it’s about a worthwhile event for the people that come.”
She also dismissed rumours of a permanent site of the Ploughing in the future.
“I can categorically, 100% say there is no permanent site and there is no discussion about a permanent site,” she said.
“A lot of the people would say that the life of the Ploughing is that it moves.
“Part of the magic is the moving and bringing a new lease of life to the economy that you’re coming to.”
Read more
Over 102,000 throng to day one of Ploughing 2019
'What's on offer is a beginning' – President weighs in on beef talks
Anna Marie McHugh has expressed her delight at the high turnout at this year’s National Ploughing Championship, after extreme weather events forced the closure of the event last year.
Asked if she had been concerned for visitor numbers she said: “You have to ask how much can people take?
Listen to "No permanent site planned for Ploughing" on Spreaker.
"For an exhibitor to commit six or eight months ago to come again and it wasn’t just a bad year last year, it was a very bad year the year before. Some exhibitions had to close because of the flooding that year.”
President Michael D Higgins with Anna Marie McHugh visiting the Irish Farmers Journal stand at the National Ploughing Championships 2019. \ Philip Doyle.
AttendanceSome 102,000 people attended the Ploughing on Tuesday and McHugh said she hoped they could repeat the success of the first day.
“It would be lovely if we had the same again,” she said.
“But it’s not about figures for the Ploughing, it’s about a worthwhile event for the people that come.”
She also dismissed rumours of a permanent site of the Ploughing in the future.
“I can categorically, 100% say there is no permanent site and there is no discussion about a permanent site,” she said.
“A lot of the people would say that the life of the Ploughing is that it moves.
“Part of the magic is the moving and bringing a new lease of life to the economy that you’re coming to.”
Read more
Over 102,000 throng to day one of Ploughing 2019
'What's on offer is a beginning' – President weighs in on beef talks
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